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Engineering, Building, and Architecture

Not many museums collect houses. The National Museum of American History has four, as well as two outbuildings, 11 rooms, an elevator, many building components, and some architectural elements from the White House. Drafting manuals are supplemented by many prints of buildings and other architectural subjects. The breadth of the museum's collections adds some surprising objects to these holdings, such as fans, purses, handkerchiefs, T-shirts, and other objects bearing images of buildings.

The engineering artifacts document the history of civil and mechanical engineering in the United States. So far, the Museum has declined to collect dams, skyscrapers, and bridges, but these and other important engineering achievements are preserved through blueprints, drawings, models, photographs, sketches, paintings, technical reports, and field notes.

Papers documenting the career of bridge designer and engineer Holton Duncan Robinson. The collection includes photographs, including cyanotypes, of bridges under construction; five patents; correspondence; programs; articles; and an 1889 notebook containing calculations.

American architect of commercial and public buildings, b. Zanesville, Ohio; educated in St. Paul, Minnesota. Firmly supportive of the European tradition and the eastern academic league of architects. Among his many familiar public buildings are the Treasury Annex and the Supreme Court, Washington, D.C., the state capitol buildings of West Virginia, Arkansas, and Minnesota, and the public libraries of St. Louis and Detroit. His most famous building is the Woolworth Building in New York (1913); with its 55 stories and Gothic ornament, it is considered Gilbert's greatest achievement.

Summary

Correspondence (1919-1932), contracts, statistical data, news clippings, booklets, miscellaneous Gilbert papers, three volumes of specification data of the Supreme Court Buildings, twenty pencil and pastel sketchbooks of Gilbert's periodic travels in Europe, 1897-1932, and a box of miscellaneous unbound sketches, including many for the Supreme Court. The bulk of the collection consists of bound volumes containing photoprints of forty-one Gilbert buildings under construction.

Photographers include Belden & Company (45 Clinton Street, Newark, N.J.) and P. O. Valentine (33 Homestead Park, Newark, N.J.). The photographs are mounted on linen, in cloth-covered loose-leaf binders bearing building or project names. Most photograph volumes each contain more than 100 prints, including duplicates. For example, Vol. 49, on the Seaside Sanatorium (Waterford, Conn.) contains 149 prints from approx. 75 different negatives.

Cite as

Cass Gilbert Collection, 1897-1936, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Adler, professional engineer and inventor, resided in Baltimore, Md., all his life. At 14 he patented an electric automotive brake. After attending Johns Hopkins University and serving briefly in the Army, he joined the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, developing safety devices. In 1928 he developed the first sound-activated (by auto horn) traffic signal. Was granted over 60 U.S. patents (of which he donated 10 to the Government), was a licensed pilot and a member of numerous professional engineers' societies. Member, Maryland State Aviation Commission, 1953-1959; served on the Maryland Traffic Safety Commission from 1952 until his death.

Summary

Contains much biographical information on Adler and his career. Newspaper clippings, photographs and other memorabilia detail his activities. Adler's published writings include articles in periodicals and newspapers. Numerous patent applications, related correspondence and royalty receipts relate to his inventions.

Cite as

Charles Adler, Jr. Collection, ca. 1920-1980, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Montgomery C. Meigs, a native of Georgia, graduated from West Point in 1836. As an Army engineer, Meigs was responsible for the construction of the Washington Aqueduct and for overseeing construction of the wings and dome of the U.S. Capitol. During the Civil War he served as Quartermaster General for the United States Army. Meigs retired from the army in 1882, but remained active with various engineering projects in the Washington, D. C. area until his death.

Summary

A book of drawings of the Washington Aqueduct, 1858-1859, illustrating reservoirs, tunnels, bridges, culverts, and other elements. Also included is a U.S.Senate document, 1864, relating to the Aqueduct construction. The cover is marked "Progress of the Washington Aqueduct, Profile, 1858-59, Capt. Montgomery C. Meigs, United States Engineers, Washington." 2007 addendum: Scrapbooks of Meigs, containing clippings from Washington, D. C. newspapers concerning the Washington Aqueduct and water supply, engineering projects, building construction, architecture, and other topics, including "Indian Wars."

Cite as

Division of the History of Technology, National Museum of American History

Hallett was an engineer for the Alamo Manufacturing Company, and designed the first Alamo Engine. While employed with the Hall Gas Engine Company he developed a heavy-duty gas engine. His last position was divisional chief engineer for the Hayes Wheel Company in Albion Michigan.

Summary

The collection relates to Hallett's career as an engineer and his work with engines. The collection includes correspondence, engineering notebooks, writings, photographs, patent materials, clippings, and publications,.

Cite as

William E. Hallett Papers, 1900-1925, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

The Frick Company of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania was founded by George Frick in 1853. It initially manufactured steam engines, later diversifying into harvesting machinery and other equipment. In 1882, Frick began to produce refrigerating equipment, for which it eventually became best known.

Summary

Ledger account books of Frick Co. financial operations, including purchasing records and payrolls; scrapbooks of newspaper clippings; voluminous hand-written business correspondence; and miscellaneous company publications, including historical summaries of its operations and products and the founder's biography.